Washington (ANI): British science fiction author Arthur C. Clarke, passed away on Wednesday March 19 in Sri Lank at the age of 90. He had been suffering from post-polio syndrome for decades.

Clarke, born Dec. 16, 1917, published his first story, Rescue Party, in Astounding Science in 1946, according to his official biography. He later went on to become an acclaimed author of both science and science fiction works.

His contribution, along with filmmaker Stanley Kubrick, helped in developing science-fiction movie with their 1968 collaboration 2001: A Space Odyssey. The two had started their collaboration in 1964, and they spent years developing their clear-eyed tale of man versus a machine called HAL.

The British-born author moved to Sri Lanka in 1956, but after meeting with Kubrick, he started sifting through his works for just the right tale to develop for the big screen. That project was 2001: A Space Odyssey. And though Clarke described the story as "terrible", the movie however in the end turned out to be a critical and popular success that helped in the development of science fiction.

Clarke was conferred knighthood in 1998, however he requested for the ceremony to be delayed after a newspaper published a story accusing him of being a paedophile. He denied the story and was formally knighted in 2000.

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